Metal Gear Solid creator finally makes the move to movies

It’s no secret that Hideo Kojima is a huge film fan. Anyone that has played any of his Metal Gear Solid games cannot have failed to notice the extended cinematic cutscenes for which the Japanese auteur has become famous. His most recent game, 2019’s Death Stranding, starred established actors such as Norman Reedus and Mads Mikkelsen.

So it should come as no surprise that Kojima Productions – the company he re-established in 2015 after leaving Konami – is opening a new office in Los Angeles specifically targeting work in the film and TV sectors. In fact, the only surprise is that it took Kojima so long to set about the transition from the games industry to his first love; film.

The company posted a Tweet today, November 22nd, that reads, “#KojimaProductions are proud to announce that a new business division will be opening in California, USA. This will explore opportunities beyond game development into film, television and other forms of entertainment”.

The Tweet linked to an article on GamesIndustry.biz that further revealed that the division will be managed by former PlayStation VP of business affairs, Riley Russell.

“The new division will be tasked with working with creative and talented professionals in television, music and film, as well as the more familiar games industry,” Russell is quoted as saying in the article. “We are truly excited and looking forward to working with the very best entertainment talent we can, across all of the entertainment industries.”

Kojima Productions’ business development manager Yoshiko Fukuda added, “Finding new ways to entertain, engage and offer value to our fans is essential in a fast-moving, ever changing storytelling world. Our new division will take the studio into even more areas that present our creative narratives beyond videogames and to open up ways for our fans to communicate and immerse themselves in these spaces.”